Race track equipment



. Jan. '9, 1934. w. E. GOLDEN RACE TRACK EQUIPMENT Patented Jan. 9, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFiCE RACE TRACK EQUIPMENT William E. Golden, Chicago, 111.

Application May 3, 1930. Serial No. 449,602

6 Claims.

My invention relates to race track equipment, and it has for its object the provision of a new and improved form and arrangement of parts by which a track may be made more efiicient from the standpoint of fair racing.

To this end, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide an improved starting means by the use of which the horses may be brought gradually under control from a walk to a running start. For accomplishing this purpose, it is one of the objects of my invention to provide means for moving a barrier preferably in the form of a wide strip or tape forward along the track in transverse position with respect thereto, moving such barrier forward slowly until the horses have an opportunity to fall in behind it, and then gradually increasing the speed of the barrier forwardly along the track, .and finally giving the barrier a movement at very high speed forwardly and upwardly out of the way of the horses and riders. It is one of the objects of my invention to provide an apparatus of this sort so,

arranged that it can be moved readily from one point to another along the track soas to be available for use at any one of the several starting points about the track.

It is another object of my invention to improve equipment of .this type in sundry details hereinafter pointed out. The preferred means by which I have accomplished my objects are illustrated in thedrawing and are hereinafter specifically described. That which I believe to be new and desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the claims.

In the drawing,- V

Fig. 1 is a view of a short portion of a track provided with my improved starting means; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view upon a very much enlarged scale,. being taken substantially at the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing, 11 and 12 indicate fences of uniform height and at a uniform distance apart entirely about a track, such fences at their upper portions comprising rails 32 of any approved form. My improved starting means comprises frame members 33 and 34 at opposite sides of the track directly over the rails 32, such frame members being connected at their ends by transversely disposed frame members 35 and 36. The frame members 35 and 36 are.

preferably made of adjustable length so as to make the frame available for use upon tracks of different width. In the construction shown, each of the frame members 33, 34, 35 and 36 comprises two spaced bars 37 connected together by diagonally disposed brace bars 38, a truss arrangement being thus provided of maximum strength in proportion to the weight. The frame as a whole comprising the four members as above described is mounted upon carrying wheels 39 which are adapted to run upon the rails 32 for-moving the frame as may be desired from one point to another about the track. In the construction shown, one of the carrying wheels 39 is provided with a gear 40 which is driven by a suitable train ofgearing from an electric motor 41 or other suitable power device mounted upon the framework, a suitable clutch of any approved type be-' ing provided for effecting the desired intermittent connection between the motor 41 and the supporting wheel 39.

Upon the frame member at each side of the track, I have provided guides 42 and 43 between which a sprocket chain 44'is adapted to run, such sprocket chain 44 being mounted at its rear end upon a gear 45, at an intermediate point on gears 46 and 46a, and. at its forward end upon gears 47 and 48, the gears 46, 46a, 47 and 48 being so arranged as to cause the forward end portion of the endless belt or chain 44 to project upwardly some little distance as is indicated in Fig. 2, the guides 42 and 43 being correspondingly shaped for supporting the chain continuously throughout its length. The chain 44 is detachably connected with the motor 41 by means of suitable gearing from the motor directly to the gear 4'7 at the inner side of the track as shown in Fig. 1. The chain at the opposite side of the track is driven in synchronism with the chain at the inner side of the track through the medium of a shaft 49 extending from the gear 48 at one side to the gear 48 at the opposite side. 7

Between the chains 44 at opposite sides of the track, I have provided a barrier 50, preferablyin the form of a fiexib strip or web, such web or other barrier extending directly across the track in transverse position, having its ends cormected directly to the chains 44, means being provided preferably for keeping the web 50 tight between the chains at all times. The chains 44 are mount ed in such position that the barrier 50 extendsacross the track at about the level of a horses head when the belts are in such position that the barrier extends between the lower plies of the belts. The arrangement is such that when the lower plies of the belts are driven toward the left in Fig. l, the barrier is carried along at even 7 height until it comes to the end portion of the framework, being then moved diagonally for ward and upwardly to a position at a considerably higher level.

With the web or other barrier 50 in its lowered position at the rear end of the frame as shown in Fig. 2, the horses are lined up behind the barrier (at the left of the barrier in Fig. 2). The chains 44 are then driven through the medium of the motor 41 for carrying the barrier 50 forwardly (toward the right in Fig. 2). When and if it appears to the starter that the horses are in position such that a race can be started fairly,

the speed of movement of the barrier is increased through an acceleration of the motor 41, such barrier being still further speeded up for its final movement forwardly and upwardly out of the way when it reaches the forward end portion of the frame.

By the use of my improved starting means, a bunch of horses can readily be brought to a fair start much more easily than has been possible by the use of any starting devices heretofore. By permitting the horses to move forwardly in rear of the barrier, they are kept in action in such a way as to relieve them of nervousness and in such a Way as to have a strong tendency to prevent unruly action by the horses. The horses will very soon learn that the way to obtain an advantageous start is to follow the barrier as closely and as carefully as possible. In order to provide against serious injury in case the barrier should possibly be stopped in its forward movement suddenly before it reaches its raised position at the end of the frame, I prefer to employ a web 50 of such construction that it may readily part at one or more points in case any material stress is applied thereto.

For automatically stopping the barrier when it reaches its raised position, I have provided a switch 51 in the leads by which current is fed to the motor 41, such switch being automatically opened for stopping the motor when the carrier 52 for the web 50 passes upwardly out of the way.

While I prefer to employ the form of equipment as shown in the drawing and as above described, it is to be understood-that my invention is not to be limited thereto except so far as the claims may be so limited by the prior art.

I claim:

1 A starting device for race tracks, comprising in combination a flexible tape, supports at opposite sides of the track to which the ends of said tape are connected, and endless chains at opposite sides of the track for moving said supports forwardly along the track opposite each other for keeping the tape in transverse position with respect to the track and for moving the supports quickly upward out of; the way atabout the starting point of a race.

2. A starting device for a race track, comprising in combination rails at opposite sides of the track, a wheeled frame supported on said rails and movable therealong to different positions. around the track, a motor mounted on said frame, detachable driving connections between said motor and said supporting wheels. for propelling said frame along the track, a barrier extending across said frame from one. side of the track to the other, and means detachably con-- nected with said motor for moving said barrier at variable. speeds longitudinally of said frame and for moving the barrier quickly. upward out of the way of the horses at approximately the starting point of a race.

3. In a starting device for a race track, the

combination of two side frame members at oppo-. site sides of the track, two carrier members, meansfor supporting said carriermembers from said side frame members respectively for moving the.

carriers opposite to each other forwardly along the side frame members at about the level of a horses head and thence upwardly to a level well above a horse and rider on the track and backwardly along the track and downwardly into position for another forward movement, and a flexible barrier member connected with said carriers and carried thereby in tightened condition along the track.

4. In a starting device for a race track, the combination of two side frame members at opposite sides of the track, guiding means in the form of oppositely disposed vertically arranged loops on the inner faces of said side frame members respectively having their bottom portions at about the level of a horses head and their upper portions at the forward end at a level well above a horse and rider on the track, two carrier members, means for moving said carrier members opposite to each other about said loops respectively, and a flexible barrier member connected with said carriers and carried thereby in tightened condition alongthe track.

5. In a starting device for a race track, the combination of twov side frame members at opposite sides of a track, endless belts supported opposite to each other on the inner faces of said side frame members respectively each in the form of a complete loop having its bottom portion at about the level of a horses head andits upper portion at the forward end at a level well above a horse and rider on the track, means for driving said belts, comprising a shaft extending across between the belts at their elevated forward end portions and operatively. connected with the belts. for driving them in unison, and a flexible barrier member connected between said belts and carried thereby in tightened condition along the track.

6. In a startingdevice for a race track, the. combination of an elongated framework extending longitudinally of a track and of a width corresponding substantially to that of the track and of considerably greater length than width, carrying wheels revolubly, mounted on said. framework, rails extending about the track at opposite sides thereof adapted by operative engagement with said wheels for carrying said framework to different starting points along the track, said framework being formed of end frame members extending across the. track ata level well above a horse and rider on the track and side frame members connected at their ends with. said end members and located for the greater portions of their length ata lower level than said end frame members, two carrier members, means for supporting. said carrier members from said side frame members respectively and for moving the carriers opposite to each other for.- wardly along the side frame members at about the level of a horses head and thence upwardly to about the level of said end frame members, and backwardly along a track fora distance at a higher level than that at which the forward movement was efiected, and a flexible barrier member-connected with said carriers and carried thereby. in tightenedcondition along the track. 

